Change your desktop background (wallpaper)

Applies to all editions of Windows Vista.
Which edition of Windows Vista am I using?

Your desktop background (also called wallpaper) can be a digital picture from your personal collection or one that comes with Windows. You can also select a color for your desktop background or use a color to frame your background picture.

Picture of desktop backgrounds that come with Windows
Windows comes with lots of desktop background choices

To change the desktop background

Open Desktop Background by clicking the Start button Picture of the Start button , clicking Control Panel, clicking Appearance and Personalization, clicking Personalization, and then clicking Desktop Background.

Click the picture or color you want for your desktop background.

If the picture you want to use is not in the list of desktop background pictures, click the Picture location down arrow to view other categories, or click Browse to search for the picture on your computer. When you find the picture you want, double-click it. It will become your desktop background and appear in the list of desktop backgrounds.

Picture of the Picture Location menu
Look for pictures in other locations on your computer

Under How should the picture be positioned, choose to have the picture fit the screen, tile, or be centered on the screen, and then click OK.

NoteIf you choose to have a centered picture as your desktop background, you can also have a color background to frame your picture. Under How should the picture be positioned, click Change background color, click a color, and then click OK.

You can make any picture stored on your computer (or a picture you are currently viewing) your desktop background by right-clicking the picture, and then clicking Set as Desktop Background.

Picture of setting a picture as the desktop background
Right-click a picture to set it as the desktop background

Change your desktop background (wallpaper)

To change the desktop background

See also